ur worthies, being left alone under the portico, enjoyed
a hearty laugh together.

'There,' said Sir Mulberry, turning to his noble friend. 'Didn't I tell
you last night that if we could find where they were going by bribing a
servant through my fellow, and then established ourselves close by with
the mother, these people's honour would be our own? Why here it is, done
in four-and-twenty hours.'

'Ye--es,' replied the dupe. 'But I have been tied to the old woman all
ni-ight.'

'Hear him,' said Sir Mulberry, turning to his two friends. 'Hear this
discontented grumbler. Isn't it enough to make a man swear never to help
him in his plots and schemes again? Isn't it an infernal shame?'

Pyke asked Pluck whether it was not an infernal shame, and Pluck asked
Pyke; but neither answered.

'Isn't it the truth?' demanded Verisopht. 'Wasn't it so?'

'Wasn't it so!' repeated Sir Mulberry. 'How would you have had it? How
could we have got a general invitation at first sight--come when you
like, go when you like, stop as long as you like, do what you like--if
you, the lord, had not made yourself agreeable to the foolish mistress
of the house? Do I care for this girl, except as your friend? Haven't I
been sounding your praises in her ears, and bearing her pretty sulks and
peevishness all night for you? What sort of stuff do you think I'm made
of? Would I do this for every man? Don't I deserve even gratitude in
return?'

'You're a deyvlish good fellow,' said the poor young lord, taking his
friend's arm. 'Upon my life you're a deyvlish good fellow, Hawk.'

'And I have done right, have I?' demanded Sir Mulberry.

'Quite ri-ght.'

'And like a poor, silly, good-natured, friendly dog as I am, eh?'

'Ye--es, ye--es; like a friend,' replied the other.

'Well then,' replied Sir Mulberry, 'I'm satisfied. And now let's go and
have our revenge on the German baron and the Frenchman, who cleaned you
out so handsomely last night.'

With these words the friendly creature took his companion's arm and led
him away, turning half round as he did so, and bestowing a wink and
a contemptuous smile on Messrs Pyke and Pluck, who, cramming their
handkerchiefs into their mouths to denote their silent enjoyment of
the whole proceedings, followed their patron and his victim at a little
distance.

CHAPTER 28

Miss Nickleby, rendered desperate by the Persecution of Sir Mulberry
Hawk, and the Complicated Difficulties and Distresses which surrou